Monica Dada (Barham), MD, LCSW-C

Monica Dada (Barham) helps people manage stress, anxiety, depression, and addiction. She also supports concerns around relationships, family strain, grief, trauma, and intimacy-related issues. Monica uses practical approaches so people can cope better day to day.

She draws on 20 years of experience as a clinician in Maryland. Monica holds an MD and is an LCSW-C, which she combines to look at both medical and social sides of a problem. Sessions focus on clear goals and skills people can use between meetings.

Monica often uses cognitive behavioral techniques to spot unhelpful thinking and shift behavior. She also works with acceptance and commitment ideas to help people clarify values and take steps that matter to them. Client-centered listening guides the pace and priorities of work together.

Typical concerns she addresses include eating and body-image issues, ADHD, caregiver stress, chronic illness and pain, codependency, and career or parenting strain. She also offers support around gender dysphoria, HIV/AIDS, fertility issues, and blended family challenges.

Monica aims for brief, focused interventions when appropriate and longer-term support when needed. Her style is direct but warm, with attention to communication skills and practical problem solving. People who meet with her can expect a collaborative plan, homework between sessions, and steady review of progress.

How Monica’s Approaches Work Online

Monica commonly uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help people notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, a practical option for anxiety, depression, and many daily struggles. She also uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help people identify personal values and take meaningful action even when hard feelings are present.

The right approach is decided together. Monica listens to goals, reviews what has helped before, and adapts methods so they fit each person's situation. Clients and the therapist check in on progress and shift course when something isn’t working.

Online sessions are offered as video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging to fit different needs. Video calls allow for a face-to-face experience similar to in-person work. Phone sessions are useful when bandwidth is low or when someone prefers not to be on camera. Live chat and text messaging make it easier to fit short check-ins into a busy day and to keep momentum between longer sessions.